November 11, 2013

Seahawks 33, Falcons 10

As it says up there on my masthead, I fancy myself a Seahawks propagandist. What do I mean by this? I mean that I don't put up the pretense of objectivity. I'm a Twelve, not a professional journalist. The purpose of this blog isn't to shine light on harsh truths about the Seattle Seahawks, but to give people some reason to believe. Hell, I remember trying to convince myself (and y'all) that we had a shot at the playoffs when we were 5-7 under Jim Mora in 2009 (We didn't).

For the last two weeks, I've been gripped by a bout of existential angst. Yes, the Seahawks were still winning, but pulling out two games on the final play against teams who had combined for three wins didn't inspire boundless confidence. We've seen this team DOMINATE inferior opponents the last two seasons, but now they were struggling to stop the run and failing to protect our franchise quarterback. I didn't feel despair or hopelessness, but that uneasy feeling I had for my entire life as a Twelve... That queasy sensation that the anvils were bound to fall on us at any moment... That was creeping back into my consciousness. That feeling had ebbed under Pete Carroll recently. He had built a team that was stronger, smarter, faster and tougher than any other squad in franchise history. These guys were different... Right?

This dovetailed in a sickening way with some angsty feels in my personal life. I decided to take the leap and start the process of coming out at work (Totally flummoxed? Go read this and come back). So far my transition has gone more smoothly than I possibly could have imagined, but I'm hitting a terrifying juncture. What if I lose one (or more) of my jobs after I come out out as transgender? I have a nasty tendency to catastrophize things and focus on worst-case scenarios in my personal life, so it's easy for me to envision how losing one or more of my jobs could lead to apocalyptic (at least for me) results. Has my relatively easy transition up to this moment been a mirage? Are THOSE anvils about to drop from the sky?

When the Seahawks took the field at the Georgia Dome, they were blissfully unaware of the personal baggage I was bringing to the game. In short order, they swept away my encroaching doubts. They were emphatically Pete Carroll's Seahawks. They were confident, fearless, and cold-blooded. No, the anvils wouldn't fall upon them. The Hawks WERE the anvils, and for one day the Atlanta Falcons were unfortunate enough to be caught out in that murderous rain.

At their best, the Seahawks conquer the enemy by punishing them physically (with Marshawn Lynch and that fearsome defense), and creating explosive plays (long runs, deep passes, and big defensive/special teams returns). All of Seattle's best qualities were on display in Atlanta. Lynch rambled for 145 yards and a touchdown in his best performance of the year (the NFL rushing title is well within his grasp, by the way). Golden Tate showed off his elusiveness on a lengthy bubble-screen scamper, and made one of the season's best catches for the touchdown that gave Seattle an insurmountable lead. Doug Baldwin continued his season-long Steve Largent impersonation, and Jermaine Kearse nudged his way into "1984 Daryl Turner" territory with his 4th touchdown on only 12 receptions. That fourth TD came on a superlative catch Kearse made after Lynch tossed the ball back across the field to Wilson. It was an explosive trick play that turned the momentum back in Seattle's favor for good.

Atlanta's only touchdown came on a drive aided by 35 highly dubious penalty yards against the Seattle defense. After two shaky outings, the Hawks' D was magnificent on Sunday. Steven Jackson was totally neutralized, and the Seattle front four terrorized Matt Ryan. Walter Thurmond III stepped in for an injured Brandon Browner and the Legion of Boom showed no signs of slippage whatsoever. The fact that Seattle has run to a 9-1 record despite numerous injuries to key starters is a testament to the staggering depth of talent on the current roster.

With San Francisco's loss to Carolina yesterday, Seattle's path to Super Bowl XLVIII became obvious: Winning the four remaining home games on the schedule would clinch the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs. With home field advantage, it's hard to imagine Seattle's season ending anywhere but at MetLife Stadium on February 2nd.

This is the Seahawks team we have been waiting for our whole lives: Confident, unafraid, indomitable, and ready to obliterate any obstacles they face. I want to be more like them. I NEED to be more like them. In a month, I will start living as a woman full time. I'll need to have the same fearlessness and confidence that our Seahawks had when they fell behind 20-3 in Houston and 21-0 vs Tampa (and still won!). If I can do that, I can Win Forever too. And, if I get the storybook ending I've been dreaming about, the Hawks will win it all... and it will feel like they were just waiting for me to be ready... Ready to celebrate one of the best days of my life (of ALL of our lives) as ME.

I lived in St. Marys from '72-'76. (We moved to Kirkland as the season was starting.) The Mid-West, especially Ohio, is a unique place. I returned there in the Air Force in '88. At first I felt that they were stuck in the past, which made it a great place to be a kid. Later I thought that it might be conservatism. I finally realized that the people just like things "to be in order". A round peg in a round hole kinda place.

Something different isn't necessarily scary, unwanted, or even off putting, it's just not what they were used to. You, my lady, must set their hearts a flutter. A Seahawk fan is weird enough, but then you spice things up by being tg. If you enjoy disrupting the status quo, you must be as happy as a tornado in a trailer park.

You're going to have some rough times. Not everyone is accepting. hopefully you'll be able to fall back on two things; There will always be those that will stand up for you, and this ride is fun, but hopefully it's the greatest of seasons. No one will ever be able to take away our smiles when the Lombardi is brought to Seattle.

Meet Your Blogger

I've been a Twelve since 1983 (and I haven't missed a game since then). I've been a season-ticket holder since 1997, and I've been writing this blog since 2008. My all-time favorite Seahawks player is Dave Krieg, and my favorite current Seahawk is Russell Wilson. Thanks for stopping by! -Ramona P.